Coin sorter



April 7, 1959 w, STEWART 2,880,836

COIN SORTER Filed ,Dec. 24, 1953 ZSheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 1 WILSON M. STEWART BYJMfi ATTORNEY?) I April 7, 1959 W. M. STEWART 2,880,836

COIN SORTER I Filed Dec. 24. 1953 I ,2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 61 WILSON NL STE WAR T A ATTORNEYS BYZe nmm v United States Patent COIN SORTER Wilson Marks Stewart, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Application December 24, 1953, Serial No. 400,260

9 Claims. (Cl. 194102) This invention relates to'acoin sorting mechanism which is adapted to separate different denominations of coins on the basis of their diameter. I

Several devices are known for carrying out this function but in operation such prior devices have either been subject to the disadvantage that their operation is unreliable or that their'construction is so delicate that rough handling by inexperienced maintenance men will render the mechanism inoperative.

The present invention provides a coin sorter of the character described which is simple in construction and operation, positive in operation and rugged in construction.

Basically, a coin sorting mechanism according to the invention comprises a coin chute having sides which are normally vertically disposed in parallel relationship spaced apart slightly more than the thickness of the largest coin which is to be sorted. Adjacent one edge of the coin chute are stud means protruding into the coin chute so as to engage the edge of any coins inserted therein. Protruding into the coin chute adjacent the other edge thereof is a movable member which is movable downwardly in an arcuate path having its centre of rotation at a point beyond said stud. The radius of the arc along which said movable member is rotatable is larger than the diameter of the largest of the coins to be sorted. When at rest, the stud means, the movable member and the centre of rotation of the movable member are all in substantially horizontal alignment. Directly above the movable member in its position of rest is a member which engages any coins entering the chute preventing them from engaging said movable member unless their diameter is sufficiently large that they will engage against said firstmentioned stud means and be brought thereby into engagement with the movable member. The distance from said stud means to the movable member when the mechanism is in its position of rest is greater than the diameter of the smaller of the coins to be sorted, but shorter than the diameter of the larger of the coins. Thus, it will be apparent that when a small coin is passed through the sorting mechanism, it will merely pass straight down through the mechanism without being deflected substantially from its vertical path. On the other hand, when a large coin is inserted in the mechanism, it will impinge upon the first-mentioned stud means and be forced into contact with the movable member. The weight of the coin causes the movable member to swing downwardly in its arcuate path carrying the coin wedge between it and the stud means. As the movable member moves downwardly, however, the distance from it to the firstmentioned stud means increases, and eventually a point is reached where the coin is free to pass between the movable member and the stud means. At this point, the coin will be released on a path tangential to the are at the point of release. As will be apparent, the point at which release occurs will be determined by the distance between the stud means and the centre of rotation of the "ice movable member. The movable member itself is biased lightly towards its position of rest either by being mounted at the end of a lever arm which is pivoted about the centre of rotation and suitably counterweighted or by suitable spring means.

The invention will be more fully understood with reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the coin sorter with one side of the coin chute cut away.

Figure 2 is a top plan view. 7

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of the sorting mechanism according to the invention illustrating the paths of travel of the larger coins being sorted thereby;

Figure 4 is a perspective of the weighted lever arm;

Figure 5 is a perspective of a modified lever arm; m

Figure 6 is a front elevation of a modified coin. ramp;

Figure 7 is a front elevation partly in section of a modified form of coin sorter according to the invention, and

Figure 8 is a rear elevation of the coin sorter shown in Fig. 7. p

In the drawings, 10 is a base plate having formed there in an arcuate slot 11, the radius of said slot being struck from the centre of an internally threaded bore 12. The upper limit of the slot 11 terminates slightly above a horizontal centre line passing through the centre bore 12. Mounted upon a pivot 13 threadedly engaged in bore 12 is a lever 14 which extends to the right of the pivot 13. The free end 15 (as shown in Figure 4) of the lever is bent at right angles so that it projects through slot 11 substantially across the width of the space between the base plate 10 and the plate 10a which defines the other wall of the coin or disc way. The portion 16 of the lever to the left of pivot 13 is so shaped that it will bias the lever 14 upwardly against the upper terminus of slot 11. The mass of the biasing portion 16 of the lever 14 is predetermined so that the discs or coins fed through the sorter will pass through at a desired pace. That is to say, the more nearly the two sides of the lever balance, the more rapidly will the weight of a coin depress the portion 15.

In any given case, the moment of the mass must be less than the combined moment of the lever arm 14 and the larger discs. A stud 17 is secured to the right of the bore 12, on the horizontal centre line above mentioned a distance measured from the upper inner corner 18 of portion 15, slightly less than the diameter of the largest disc being sorted. When a series of discs are being sorted, the smaller will drop through between stud 17 and por-. tion 15. A disc of larger diameter will, however, lodge between stud 17 and portion 15. The weight of the disc, being greater than the combined weight of the mass 16 and the lever arm 14, moves portion 15 downwardly causing the lever arm to rotate about its pivot 13. It will be obvious from a study of the drawing that the distance between stud 17 and portion 15 of lever arm 14 increases as portion 15 travels in its downward arcuatev path until a point is reached where the distance between stud 17 and the inner surface of portion 15 is greater than the diameter of the disc. At this point the disc is released on a path tangential to the slot 11 at the point of release, and rolls down a ramp 10 into a receptacle, or, into the appropriate recess in a coin lock.

Figures 3 and 5 of the drawings show a modified form of a sorter. In this instance, the base plate 10 is provided with an additional slot 20 and has projecting therethrough a spur 21 which is formed by bending at a right angle the free end of a supplementary lever arm 22 integrally formed on lever arm 14 at a predetermined angle, the anglebeing such that when a series of discs are fed con- 3 seeutively into the apparatus the second disc will be retarded in its iiight by the spur 21 ii the first disc has engaged the portion and caused the lever arm 14 to pivot. Ihesecond disc will be held thus until the lever arm 14 has returned to its original position. By this means the possibility of a small coin following a larger closely, and being deflected into the large coin receptacle by the portion '15 during its return upwardly, is eliminated.

Figure 6 shows a modified form of ramp in which a slight rise '23 is formed thereon so that a disc rolling down it will be slightly decelerated, and will not pass over the rise until the portion 15 has returned to its original position. Thus, any small coin closely following a large one, should it strilre the portion l5 during its u war r urn will be pr nted by t e Pr ef the a eeihztrem P$5 ll tehe ime 19- The ri e 23, this e are t e n ae 9f. e up leme r era 22. il ustra ed in. Fi res 3 nd 5- ferr n n w. i hrti h eeh' t Fi ure. 7 wh ch she anreierredeihhedime t o the eh ieh the le e me s p e ell mounted h eh h x r of the late 3. whi h is ih d ed n hin eXi P n 32 which passes through aligned holes in the ears'33 formed on the fixed base plate 34 and the ears 35 formed on the plate 31. The plate 31 is thus swingable away from the fixed plate 34 and is biased towards the closed position by the coil spring 36 which is mounted on the axis pin 32. In the normal, closed position, the plates 31 and 32 are maintained in substantially parallel juxtaposition with the space between them corresponding to a distance which is slightly larger than the thickness of the largest coin to be sorted by the spacers 37 and 38 which are stamped from the body of the plate 31. The top of the fixed plate 34 is cut away to form an elongated slot 39 in register with a shorter slot 40 formed in the top of the plate member 31 and accommodating a vertically movable cam member 41 which is actuated by a conventional mechanism (not shown) which causes it to move downwardly upon actuation of a coin lock mecha- 'nism to bear upon the bottom of the slot 39 and swing the plate 31 outwardly away from the fixed plate 34 to clear the coin selecting mechanism each time the coin lee is me Th lever 30 is ro de at ene end wi the e selecting arm 42 having a bent-over end portion 43 which rides in the arcuate slot 44 formed in the plate membe 3 he heme 4 exte n I h h $19! 4 and subs nt ee es h s e e 'eh h plates 33 and 34 when the latter are in the normal, closed ppsition, The other end of the lever 30 is enlarged and ea the e ht r ei ht 4 Wh h i ef eh Weight hat. he e ihihe ei h 'efthe euh r ht and th rm ine .w ieh t" s mee ted rr ides eme e t s eet. the pivet point 46 which is slightly less than the moment of the coin selecting arm 42 and a selected coin.

Secured to the inside of the plate 31 is the gauging st d 7 which is Pesit eh ubs nt lly 1a h riz h el in n n th ri et ein 4 nd the b n -e r end pprtion 43'whenthe lever 30 is in its position o frest. The clear space between the bent-over end portion 43 and thegau'ging stud 47 is just slightly less than the diameter of the coins whichit is desired to select, and the gauging stud 47 is of sufficient length to extend substantially across the distance separating the plates 31 and 34 when they are in the normal, closed position In the embodiment now being described, the bent-over the eve i pre en d hem he hs en ?Y.9. -9 a ihshfi eient diameter to he e leet e Y heshse kt e. bent-eve eh ef t e t l d ea ed lever arm 49which extends through the horizontal slot 50) in the plate 31 and substantially across the space between the plates 31 'and 34. The 'lever 49 is pivoted at 51 andfa'bell crank arm and counterweight 52 and 53' r'espectively bias the bent-over end 48 of thedev'er am49-against the righ-ehand end of the slot 50. The

positioning of the bent-over end 48 is such that it must be moved'out of the wayberareafiyte'in can engage the bent-over end 43 of the coin selecting arm 42. The bent-over end portion 48, therefore, replaces the stud means used to protect the bent-over end portion 15 of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to S inclusive.

Selected coins are conducted to their destination by the ramps 54 and 55 which are struck from the plate 31 and extend inwardly therefrom substantially across the distance between the plates 31 and 34, and in addition, the guide stud 56 is mounted on the interior of the plate 31 to deflect downwardly any selected coins which may leave the ramp 54 with an abnormally high velocity. The unselected coins which fall vertically through the coin selecting mechanism without being deflected onto the ramp 54 are deflected by the lip 57 which is struck inwardly from the plate 3 and. which. overlies the lip .58 wh h simmer "(th upper end'of an enemy mountedcoinchute attached to the back of the Plate 34- The lip 58 is be t inwar ly an ex n thr the cut awa'y portion 59 in the plate 32 substantially across the space between the plate 34 and plate 31. Thus, all non-selected coins will be passed into the coin chute on the rear of the plate 34 and which is constituted principally by the base plate 60 which is secured to the back of the plate 34 and the hingedly mounted cover plate '61 which forms the rear side wall and which is biased towards the closed position by a leaf Spring 62 and is connected by a suitable mechanism including the push rod 61a and the depressible lever 61b with the means used for actuating the cam member 41 whereby the coin chute is opened against the bias of the leaf spring 62 to clear the chute each time the coin lock is actuated.

The plate 34 is provided with the opening 63 which is of smaller width than the diameter of the coins which it is desired to pass down the non-selected coin chute to the coin lock mechanism (not shown) with which it is associated, and a small pintle 64 mounted on the end of a very light leaf spring 65 secured at 66 to the back of the cover plate 61 protrudes into the coin chute through an opening 67 in the'cover plate 61.

Coins are fed to the top of the selecting mechanism by the coin hopper 70 which is of the type described and claimed my copending application Serial No. 280,539 filed April 4, 1952, now Patent No. 2,669,337, and con: sists essentially of the fixed member 71 which secured to the top of the fixed plate 34 and carries the two forwar dly extending flanges 72 and 73 which carry the curved member suspended in suitable holes formed therein. The lower extremity 75 of the member 74 is in resting engagement with the lip 76 formed in the plate 31, Mounted on the fixed plate 34 immediately below the coin hopper 70 are thc two studs 77 and 78 which define the edges of the coin path of the coin selecting mechanism and prevent entry thereto of any coins of unduly large size. For instance, if the coin lock in association with which the selecting mechanism of the present invention is used is adapted to handle one cent coins in one coin slot and five cent pieces in another coin slot, the studs 77 and 78 will be spaced apart a sufiicient distance to permit the passage of the five cent pieces but preventing passage of larger coins such as quarters and fifty cent pieces.

In describing the operation of the coin lock illustrated in Figure 7, it will be assumed for purposes of illustration that five cent pieces are to be selected and that one cent pieces are not to be selected. A five cent piece will pass down through the coin hopper 70 between the studs 77 she-immun edge thereof will engage the gauging stud 47'. The other edge will first of all engage the bentover end portion 48 of the lever 49 moving it to the left. The five cent coin will then drop down into engagement with the bent-over end portion 43 of the selector arm 42 where it will he held suspended between the portion 43 and the stud means 47. The weight of the coin thus suspended tilts the lever 30 causing the bent-over end 43 to ride down the slot 44 until a point is reached where the clear distance between the gauging stud 47 and the portion 43 becomes greater than the diameter of the coin, and the coin is released on a path which carries it onto the ramp 54. The coin then rolls down the ramp 54 and onto ramp 55 from where it passes downwardly into the five cent slot of the coin lock which is, of course, in suitable position to receive it. A one cent piece will be fed to the coin selector in the same manner by the hopper 70, will pass between the studs 77 and 78 and even if it engages against the end 48 of the lever 49, it will not have sufficient lateral momentum to shift the portion 48 to the left and therefore, cannot engage the end 43 of the selector arm 42. The one cent piece will, therefore, descend substantially vertically and be deflected by the lip 57 into the ex teriorly mounted coin chute secured to the rear of plate 34, by means of which it is passed to the one cent slot of the coin lock. Should a coin smaller than a one cent piece be inserted into the mechanism, it will be passed down the one cent chute in the same manner as a one cent piece, but it will be deflected by the pintle 64 through the opening 63 in the plate 34 and drop into the coin return chute which is in a position to collect all coins which drop vertically between the plates 31 and 34 to the left of the, point marked A which coincides with the termination of the one cent coin chute. If a bent coin or other undesirable piece of material is inserted in the coin hopper 70, it will pass downwardly through the coin selecting mechanism until a point is reached where it may become jammed due to its deformed shape. If this occurs, the free motion of the coin lock mechanism will permit the cam 41 to be actuated, separating the plates 31 and 34 and opening the cover plate 61 permitting the jammed coin to fall freely into the coin return chute.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A device for sorting coins or the like on the basis of their diameter comprising means, including two juxtaposed side walls, defining a coin path; feed means for said coin pathfor permitting entry of coins of two values despite their variation in width, weight and diameter; a two-armed lever member pivoted on the outside of one of said side walls, one arm of said lever member carrying an end portion extending through a slot formed in said side wall and into the space between said side walls, the slot in said side wall being arranged to accommodate said bent-over end and permit limited pivotal movement of said lever member; the other arm of said lever being counterweighted to normally retain said end portion at the upper end of said slot unless it is engaged by a coin, a fixed stud extending substantially between said side walls between said pivot point and said arcuate slot, said stud presenting a surface at right angles to the side walls and of such curvature that the clearance between the bent-over end of the two armed lever and said surface increases as said bent-over end moves downwardly; said stud, said pivot point, and the upper extremity of said arcuate slot being substantially in the same horizontal plane, the clear distance between said end portion and said stud being slightly less than the diameter of the largest of the coins being sorted, but greater than the diameter of all the other coins being sorted; coin engaging means extending substantially between said side walls immediately above the upper extremity of said slot, for preventing engagement of all save the larger of the coins being sorted with said end portion of said first-mentioned arm of said lever member; whereby the smaller of said coins will pass through said device without being deflected from a substantially vertical path, but said larger of said coins will be selected by engagement with said end portion, which engagement tilts said lever until the clear distance between said stud and said end portion becomes greater than the diameter of said selected coins, and the latter are released to follow a path tangential to said arcuate slot at the point of release; and means for maintaining separate the selected coins from the unselected coins.

2. A device for sorting coins or the like as defined in claim 1 in which the means for maintaining separate the selected coins from the unselected coins comprises a plate member having a thickness which is the same as the Width of said coin path secured between said side walls beneath said lever member and said studs, said plate being formed to provide two upwardly facing ramps meeting at an apex substantially directly below the inner extremity of said first-mentioned stud means, one of said ramps inclining downwardly and extending directly beneath the space between said first-mentioned stud means and said end portion of said lever member in position to deflect coins which pass vertically through said device to one side of said plate and said second ramp sloping downwardly in the opposite direction and being positioned to conduct coins released by said end portion to the other side of said plate member.

3. A device for sorting coins or the like as defined in claim 2 in which said second ramp portion is provided with a slight rise part way along its length, said rise being of suflicient height to retard slightly the progress of coins passing along said ramp portion and so positioned as to insure that any closely following smaller coins are directed onto said first-mentioned ramp portion.

4. A device for sorting coins or the like as defined in claim 1 in which said lever member is provided with a third arm set at an angle to said first arm and having an end portion adapted to ride within a second slot formed in said side wall and extend therethrough into the space between said side walls, said second arm being I positioned above said first arm whereby when said lever member is tilted by engagement of a coin with the end portion of said first-mentioned arm, the end portion of said second arm moves into the space between said first and second studs whereby efiectively to block entrance thereinto of any further coins until said lever member has returned to its position of rest.

5. A device for sorting coins or the like on the basis of their diameter comprising means, including two juxtaposed side walls, defining a coin path; feed means for said coin path for permitting entry of coins of two values despite their variation in width, weight and diameter; a two-armed lever member pivoted on the outside of one of said side walls, one arm of said lever member carrying a bent-over end portion extending through a slot formed in said side wall and into the space between said side walls, the slot in said side wall being arranged to accommodate said bent-over end and permit limited pivotal movement of said lever member; the other arm of said lever being counterweighted to. normally retain said bent-over end portion at the upper end of said slot unless it is engaged by a coin, a fixed stud extending substantially between said side walls between said pivot point and said arcuate slot, said stud presenting a surface at right angles to the side walls and of such curvature that the clearance between the bent-over end of the two armed lever and said surface increases as said bent-over end moves downwardly; said stud, said pivot point, and the upper extremity of said arcuate slot being substantially in the same horizontal plane, the clear distance between said bent-over end portion and said stud being slightly less than the diameter of the largest of the coins being sorted, but greater than the diameter of all the other coins being sorted; a second stud extending substantially between said side walls immediately above the upper extremity of said slot; the clear distance between said second stud and said first stud being just sufficient to permit passage of the largest of the coins being sorted; whereby the smaller of said coins will pass through said device without being deflected from a substantially vertical path, but said larger of said eoinswill be selected by engagement with said bent-over end, which engagement tilts said lever until the clear distance between said first-mentioned stud and said bent-over end portion becomes greater than the diameter of said selected coins, and the latter are released to follow a path tangential to said arcuate slot at the point of release; and means for maintaining separate the selected coinsfrom the unselected coins. V

6. A device for sorting coins or the like on the basis of their diameter comprising means, including two juxtaposed side walls, defining a coin path; a two-armed lever member pivoted on the outside of one of said side walls, one arm of said lever member carrying an end portion adapted to extend through a slot formed in said side wall and into the space between said side walls, the slot in said side wall being arranged to accommodate said bent-over endand permit limited pivotal movement of said lever member;the other arm'of said lever being counterweighted to normally retain said end portion at the upper end of said slot unless it is engaged by a coin, a fixed stud extending substantially between said side walls between said pivot point and said arcuate slot; said stud, said pivot point, and the upper extremity of said arcuate slot being substantially in the same ho1'i-. zontal plane, the clear distance between said end portion and said stud being slightly less than the diameter of the largest of the coins being sorted, but greater than the diameter of all the other coins being sorted; a movable member situated above said end portion of said arm of said lever member and biased towards a position where it will engage any coins passed through said device before said coins can engage said end portion on said arm of said lever member; biasing means for said movable member of sufiicient strength to prevent engagement of said movable member by any coins of insufficient diameter to simultaneously engage said stud and said end portion of said arm of said lever member but of insuiiicient strength to support the larger of said coins and prevent engagement thereof with said end portion of said arm on said lever member; whereby the smaller of said coins will pass through said device without being deflected from a substantially vertical path, but said larger of said coins will be selected by engagement with said end portion, which engagement tilts said lever until the clear distance between said stud and said end portion becomes greater than the diameter of said selected coins, and the latter'are released to follow a path tangential to said arcuate slot at the point of release; and means for maintaining separate the selected coins from the unselected coins.

7. A device for sorting coins or the like on the basis, of their diameter comprising means, including two juxtaposed side walls, defining a coin path; a two-armed lever member pivoted on the outside of one of said side walls, one arm of said lever member carrying an end portion adapted to extend through a slot formed in said side wall and into the space between said side walls, the slot in said side wall being arranged to accommodate said bent-over end and permit limited pivotal movement of said lever member; the other arm of said lever being counterweighted tonormally retain said end portion at the upper end of said slot unless it is engaged by a coin, a fixed stud extending substantially between said side walls between said pivot point and said arcuate slot; said stud, said pivot point, and the upper extremity of said arcuate slot being substantially in the same horizontal plane, the clear distance between said end portion and said stud being; slightly less than the diameter of the largest of the coins being sorted, but greater than, the diameter Of all the other coins being sorted; a second lever member mounted in substantially vertical position on the outside of one of said side Walls of said lever and having abent-over end portion adapted to extend through a horizontal slot formed in said side substantially across the space between said side walls immediately above a end po on o s arm o d firs -m ntioned lever in a position to engage any coins entering the said device before the latter can engage said first-mentioned end portion, said slot in said side wall permitting suificient lateral movement of said second-mentioned end portion to permit a coin of larger diameter than the clear dis tance between said stud and said first-mentioned end portion to engage the latter and move it aside to permit said coin to engage the end portion of said first-mentioned lever; counterweight means biasing said second lever towards said position; whereby the smaller of said coins will pass through said device without being deflected from a substantially vertical path, but said larger of said ains ll be s e by gem h said. end portion, which engagement tilts said lever until the clear distance between said stud and said end portion becomes re te an he diameter o said se e t coin and. the la a e re e d o follow a pa a entia t al arcuate slot at the point of release; and means tor main: taining separate the selected coins from the unselected coins.

8. A device for sorting coins or the like on the basis of their diameter comprising means, including two juxtaposed side walls, defining a coin path; feed means for said coin path for permitting entry of coins of two values despite their variation in width, weight and diameter; a two-armed lever member pivoted on the outside of one of said side walls, one arm of said lever member carrying an end portion extending through a slot formed in said side wall and into the space between said side walls, the slot in said side wall being arranged to accommodate said bent-over end and permit limited pivotal movement of said lever member; the other arm of said lever being counterweighted to normally retain said end portion at the upper end of said slot unless it is engaged by a coin, a fixed stud extending substantially between said side walls between said pivot point and said arcuate slot, said stud presenting a surface for engaging the peripheral surface of a coin whereby a component of force normal to the peripheral edge of the coin is the predominating reacting force exerted by said stud on engagement with a coin, and said stud being of such curvature that the clearance between the bent-over end of the two-armed lever and said surface increases as said bent-over end moves downwardly; said stud, said pivot point, and the upper extremity of said arcuate slot being substantially in the same horizontal plane, the clear distance betweensaid end portion and said stud being slightly less than the diameter or the largest of the coins being sorted, but greater than the diameter of all the other coins being sorted; coin engaging means extending substantially between said side walls immediately above the upper extremity of said slot, for preventing engagement of all save the larger of the coins being sorted with said end portion of said first,- mentioned arm of said lever member; whereby the smaller of said coins will pass through said device without being deflected from a substantially vertical path, but said larger of said coins will be selected by engagement with said end portion, which engagement tilts said lever until the clear distance between said stud and said end portion becomes greater than the diameter of said selected coins, and the latter are released to follow a path tangential to said arcuate slot at the point of release; and means for maintaining separate the selected coins from the unselected coins.

9. A device for sorting coins or the like, on the basis of their diameter comprising means, including two juxtaposed side walls, defining a coin path; feed means for said coin path for permitting entry of coins, of two. values despite their variation in width, weight and diameter; a two-armed lever member pivoted on the, Outside of one of said side walls, one arm of said lever member carrying a bent-over end portion extending through a slot formed in said side wall and into the space between said side walls, the slot in said side wall being arranged to accommodate said bent-over end and permit limited pivotal movement of said lever member; the other arm of said lever being counterweighted to normally retain said bent-over end portion at the upper end of said slot un less it is engaged bya coin, a fixed stud extending substantially between said side walls between said pivot point and said arcuate slot, said stud presenting a surface for engaging the peripheral surface of a coin whereby a componet of force normal to the peripheral edge of the coin is the predominating reacting force exerted by said stud on engagement with a coin, and said stud being of such curvature that the clearance between the bent-over end of the two-armed lever and said surface increases as said bent-over end moves downwardly; said stud, said pivot point, and the upper extremity of said arcuate slot being substantially in the same horizontal plane, the clear distance between said bent-over end portion and said stud being slightly less than the diameter of the largest of the coins being sorted, but greater than the diameter of all the other coins being sorted; a second stud extending substantially between said side walls immediately above the upper extremity of said slot; the clear distance between said second stud and said first stud being just sufficient to permit passage of the largest of the coins being sorted;

10 whereby the smaller of said coins will pass through said device without being deflected from a substantially verti cal path, but said larger of said coins will be selected by engagement with said bent-over end, which engagement tilts said lever until the clear distance between said firstmentioned stud and said bent-over end portion becomes greater than the diameter of said selected'coins, and the latter are released to follow a path tangential to said arcuate slot at the point of release; and means for maintaining separate the selected coins from the unselected coins.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 563,419 Seward July 7, 1896 1,666,849 Fry Apr. 17, 1928 2,420,246 Keller May 6, 1947 2,422,867 Wallin June .24, 1947 2,503,232 Gottfried Apr. 4, 1950 2,770,343 Andrews Nov. 13, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 70,737 Netherlands of 1952 

